Inspector Gadget: Go, Go Gadget Arms!

Created by Andy Heyward with DIC Entertainment, Inspector Gadget is an animated television cartoon series that originally ran for three seasons from 1983 until 1986 - although many spin-offs and motion pictures were created long afterwards.

The cartoon series centres on a powerful but dim-witted and gullible police inspector called Inspector Gadget. He acquired this name due to the fact that, although a human being, he has a large number of high-tech gadgets (approximately 14,000) installed inside his body. Some of the gadgets include a wind sail, a torch, roller skates, a jack hammer, an umbrella, a hat tipper, a waterproof chromatic watch, a jet pack, a siren, a boxing glove and a top-secret phone… in fact, everything a top crime fighter could possibly need! The bumbling police officer also has his own car, or gadget mobile, which he uses to help solve crimes - it appears in most episodes. This car, similar in style to a 1983 Toyota Celica Supra, also comes loaded with gadgets and it can talk!

Although Inspector Gadget is loyal to his profession, he isn't very good at his job. The cartoon focuses on Inspector Gadget trying to outwit the unlawful schemes of criminal Dr Claw and his organisation, MAD, but the cyborg police officer is never successful in his attempts to nail the crooks.



In fact, it's Inspector Gadget's niece Penny and her hound Brian who bring Dr Claw and MAD to justice, unbeknown to both Inspector Gadget and the crooks themselves. When Inspector Gadget does manage to save the day in thwarting the criminals, it's usually done obliviously.

Inspector Gadget bears a resemblance to Inspector Clouseau from The Pink Panther, minus the moustache. A number of actors voiced the hapless inspector, with Don Adams being the original voice over up until 1999.

As well as the original franchise series, an animated Christmas special was produced in 1992. A spin-off featuring Inspector Gadget as a younger man, called Gadget Boy and Heather, was released three years later. In 1997, a spin-off was released on The History Channel, named Gadget Boy's Adventures in History, while a French production company produced 52 episodes of a new series, Gadget and the Gadgetinis, in 2002.

A live action film was also produced in 1999 by Walt Disney Pictures, featuring Matthew Broderick as Inspector Gadget and Rupert Everett as Doctor Claw. Differing from the original series, in the live film not only do viewers get to see Doctor Claw's face for the first time, but Inspector Gadget is also a more skilled and competent detective.

Video games and books have also been produced relating to Inspector Gadget, and a song was released in 1985 that sampled the Inspector Gadget theme tune.

If you're a bit like Inspector Gadget in that you own lots of bits and bobs, having somewhere to store them safely makes sense. Chances are you won't be able to install them in your body like the great man himself, so why not make use of the wide range of plastic storage solutions from Solent Plastics?